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Strengthening Developments in TNE
through Inter-agency Cooperation
Dr. Fabrizio Trifiro’, Manager International, QAA
Delivery Excellence in Higher Education,
12 July 2016, Leeds Beckett University
• QAA’s approach to TNE
• Strengthening interagency cooperation:
QACHE and INQAAHE projects
• Current and planned international
engagement activities
• Discussion
Structure of the presentation
Over 80% of UK HEIs are involved in some form
of TNE, delivered all over the world
TNE is the main area of growth
0
500000
1000000
1500000
2000000
2500000
3000000
2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15
Total students in the UKInternational students in the UKOff-shore students
We develop reference points setting out
expectations for UK HE providers
We undertake institutional peer-reviews to
check HE providers meet those
expectations
QAA has always reviewed UK TNE
Mission: to safeguard standards and improve
the quality of UK HE wherever it is delivered
Institutional review processes in the UK are comprehensive
A dedicated TNE review process supplements UK reviews
A country-based approachIndia (09), Malaysia (10), Singapore (11), China (12), UAE (13),
Caribbean (14), Greece/Cyprus (15)…16/17 Hong Kong & Ireland?
A partnership approach Liaise with counterpart agencies to facilitate the review of TNE, e.g.
information sharing and coordination of QA activities
The quality assurance of TNE
Developing a Strategic and Coordinated Approach to the External
Quality Assurance and Enhancement of UK Transnational
Education (QAA 2015)
• Strengthen links between TNE review and domestic
institutional reviews
• Strengthen cooperation with counterpart agencies in key
UK TNE host countries
Consultation on strengthening the
quality assurance of TNE – final report
• Continue to undertake in-country reviews of UK TNE:
adopting a risk-based approach and
working with host country regulatory bodies / QAAs to reduce
unnecessary duplications and hence regulatory burden
• Continue engaging strategically with international partners:
to enhance mutual understanding of quality-related developments
and approaches with key TNE host countries
to work towards reciprocal recognition of quality assessment
arrangements, where appropriate.
HEFCE’s Tender for International
Activities
• Funded by the European Commission
• Undertaken by a project consortium led by ENQA:
ANECA (Spain), GAC (Germany), HCERES
(France), QAA (UK), TEQSA (Australia)
APQN and ANQAHE
• Main aim: Enhance international practice in the
QA of TNE / CBHE
• Main output: A Toolkit for QAAs to enhance inter-
agency cooperation in the QA of TNE / CBHE
The QACHE project (2013-15)
• Diversity of approaches and regulatory
frameworks for CBHE (in/out-bound)
• Lack of information and knowledge of
other agencies’ frameworks/approaches
• A ‘trust gap’ between home and host
countries about the quality of CBHE
• Lack of cooperation in the QA of CBHE
Key findings
Lack of trust
Lack of cooperation
Lack of information
The QACHE vicious circle
Sub-optimal
QA of CBHE
Trust
Cooperation
Information
The QACHE virtuous circle
Effective and
efficient QA of
CBHE
Networks
Offers practical guidance on:
(1) Information sharing: how QAAs
can improve the sharing of information
on TNE
(2) Cooperation in quality assurance:
how QAAs can enhance cooperation
in its quality assurance
(3) Networks of agencies: how
networks of QAAs can facilitate
information sharing and cooperation
The Toolkit
• It acknowledges that QAAs don’t operate in isolation
• It recognise and respects the diversity of QAAs
The scope of the Toolkit
It is directed exclusively at QAAs (and networks)
It does not issue guidelines for the QA of CBHE
It is not prescriptive
Trust building is critical, but takes times & resources
• Adopt a strategic approach and long term commitment to
partnership building
Engage with all key stakeholders to facilitate the
implementation of the QACHE Toolkit
• with governments to enable policy/legislative change
• with institutions to identify areas of synergy and cooperation
• with students to understand their expectations for TNE
INQAAHE / QAA project on the
challenges to inter-agency cooperation
KHDA briefed the QAA review team
KHDA shared its annual census data with us
KHDA engaged in the QAA review visit
KHDA and QAA coordinated the communication strategy
KHDA relaxed criteria for programme approval
TNE UAE 2013-4: cooperation with KHDA
- Regular communication with MoU partners – VCs and networks
- Quality Beyond Borders Group
- informal group of agencies aimed at facilitating information sharing
(KHDA led, QAA, MQA, CPE, HKCAAVQ, WASC, NEASC)
- Joint guidance on top-up arrangements (CPE, HKCAAVQ, MQA)
- Focus on China:
- Cooperation with CEAIE in screening new applications for UK-
China partnerships
- Can QAA/CDGDC lead by example the new ASEM-ME’s initiative,
CBQAN (CDGDC led)?
- Beijing statement: enhancing sector-to-sector cooperation in the
QA of TNE (British Council, QAA, IU / MoE, CEAIE, CDGDC)
Current engagement initiatives
- TNE Ireland: implementing the QACHE Toolkit?
- TNE Hong Kong: exploring joint-review activity leading to
recognition of HKCAAVQ accreditation decisions?
- TNE Malta - resuming planned joint-review activity ?
- Singapore: can we rely on information collected by CPE on UK
providers’ oversight of local TNE?
- Exploring with a larger number of countries the possibility to
recognise their QA decisions of hosted UK TNE
- Sector briefings about key country’s operating environments, and
in-country briefings about UK QA and TNE
Forthcoming engagement initiatives
What types of regulatory challenges have you
encountered in delivering TNE provision?
Where could strengthened inter-agency cooperation
help TNE providers overcoming these challenges?
• any specific examples?
What else could QAA do to support UK providers in
delivering quality TNE?
Questions
qaa.ac.uk
+44 (0) 1452 557000
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Registered charity numbers 1062746 and SC037786
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